- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJohn Carl Hendricks
- Nickname
- The James Joyce of Jive
- A Law student and part-time drummer in the early 1940s, Jon's life changed when Charlie Parker heard him scat and urged him to dedicate himself to singing. His career crystalized in the late 50s with the formation of vocal jazz trio Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. Their first album, Sing a Song of Basie, was a masterpiece of Vocalese (the technique of taking an existing jazz piece or improvised solo and setting lyrics to it). The first group to combine vocalese lyrics with tight independent vocal harmonies, their 50s and 60s recordings have a style and groove still unmatched. After the breakup of LH&R Jon went on with his solo act, wrote for Broadway and continued to lyricise and arrange tunes for himself and pop groups like the Manhattan Transfer (whose 1980s Vocalese album is lyricised by and dedicated to him). Back on the singing scene since the early 80s with a vocal quartet, Jon Hendricks and Friends are still performing, and still hot. If Ella Fitzgerald is the Queen of scat, Jon Hendricks is King.- IMDb Mini Biography By: mwm@cmu.edu
- Songwriter ("Desafinado", "One Note Samba"), composer, author, drummer and singer, educated at the University of Toledo. He served in World War II, then sang in Europe, came to New York in 1952, and joined ASCAP in 1956. His popular song compositions were often performed live and on many records by his vocal quartet, including "Four Brothers", "Minor Catastrophy" "Don't Get Scared", "Desafinado", "Night in Tunisia", "One Note Samba", "Hi-Fly", "The duck", "Moanin'", "I Want You to Be My Baby", "I'll Die Happy", and "Gimme That Wine".'- IMDb Mini Biography By: Hup234!
- SpousesJudith Dickstein(March 26, 1959 - November 18, 2015) (her death, 5 children)Colleen Moore (divorced, 4 children)
- Distinguished Professor of Jazz Studies at The University of Toledo. Doctor of The Performing Arts.
- Has three grandchildren.
- "Speaking of mothers, Thelonius Monk once told me how I remind him of his mother. 'You the only muthuh I want writin' words to my music.'
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